Review of Revieu!$, 1/10106. 



THE HANDICAPPING OF REFORM. 



NEW ZEALAND 



Local Option Poll, 



1902. 



White: No-License Elec- 

 torates and where No- 

 License Vote exceeded 

 Continuance Vote, s^'ci 



Blacii : Continuance Vote 

 exceeded ~ No - License 

 Vote. 



AN INVASION OF POPULAR RIGHTS. 



NEW ZEALAND 



Local Option Poll, 



1905. 



White: No-License Elec- 

 torates and where No- 

 License Vote exceeded 

 Continuance Vote. 



Black: Continuance Vote 

 exceeded No - License 

 Vote. 



1902. 



No-License Vote 

 Continuance 



151,524 

 148,449 



1905. 



No-License Vote^ 

 Continuance 



298.7_68 

 182,884 



These Maps show where No-License would be in operation if a majority of votes for the 

 issue were sufficient. As a three-fifths majority of total valid votes cast is necessary, six 

 electorates [with a total population of 70,000) will be under No-License in 1906. 



Why should good be handicapped ? Its path up 

 the hill of reform is toilsome enough without its 

 being heavily and unduly burdened. A curious 

 idea that has crept into the minds of some of the 

 Reformers in the j\.ustralian States is that an evil 

 like the liquor traffic should only be put out of a 

 licensing district when three-fifths of the people de- 

 sire it. Practically every question which concerns 

 the welfare of the people is settled within the bor- 

 ders of the British nation by majorities, no matter 

 how narrow they may be. From a Cricket Club 

 meeting to the highest Parliamentary Council in the 

 nation a majority rules, and on Parliamentary ma- 

 jorities, even though they be of the barest, courses 

 of action will be entered upvon which affect even the 

 peace of the nation. But in New Zealand some 

 years ago, when the liquor trade was under review, 

 and it was decided to allow electors to make their 

 wishes known with regard to it, it was de- 

 creed by Parliament that No-license should come 

 into force by a three-fifths majority. What 



a fearful handicap this is only those who have been 



working in the cause in New Zealand know. It 

 really means that sixty decent, respectable people 

 have got to be found to counterbalance the vote of 

 forty whose vote goes for unrighteousness. Why 

 should the course of good be so hampered ? It 

 has been said that a good feature of the present 

 arrangement is that there is no doubt of the over- 

 whelming desire of the people when a three-fifths 

 majority is recorded, and that the law is more likely 

 to be well obser\-ed. But it is a libel upon our in- 

 stitutions and our .methods of Government to in- 

 sinuate that, in connection with the liquor traffic, it 

 requires more than a majority to enforce the law. 

 If this be so, it only indicates the lawless nature of 

 the trade, and of its determination to work harm to 

 the communitj' in face of the desire of the majority 

 of the people. Another argument that is used in 

 its favour is that, once No-license is carried, a three- 

 fifths majority is required to reverse it. But here 

 again arises a curious position. If more than a 



